Photo by: Hannah Mae Photography
Walking is often overlooked as an effective form of exercise, although it truly is one of your best options. It's a low-risk, low-impact option to ease your way into your fitness journey. It's easy on your joints, gets your heart rate up, improves your mood, and promotes balance and coordination amongst several other health benefits.
Here are a few easy ways to get your steps in on the daily:
1. Organize your next work meeting over a walk. In fact, studies encourage walking meetings over sit-down meetings due to the increase in creativity and improvement in energy and mood. Bonus: you get some physical activity and work productivity completed at the same time!
2. Park further away from work, the grocery store, etc. to get a few more steps in. Bonus: you won't have to worry about anyone dinging your car door! (Mom taught me that one.)
3. Walk your dog at least once a day. Nothin' wrong with a little nature walk that will benefit both you and your drooler. Plus, your dog will be one happy, tired pup.
4. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Yeah, elevation! Yeah, health!
5. Start a walking club at work. It's a great way to get fit while having a mutual support system and holding each other accountable.
6. Although walking is an excellent way to get into a healthy routine, adding other elements into your regime are just as important. Strength training and mobility are two of the big ones! Strength training is a highly effective method to achieve weight loss, build muscle, and improve bone health. Mobility allows you to move fluidly and effectively both in your functional, daily movements, and in your fitness training. Remember, all of these forms of exercise are important, but starting with a simple movement such as walking is an essential step in the right direction!
Don't let the cooler weather scare you away from getting your steps in! Use an indoor track, the mall, a stairwell, etc. You always have choices, so no excuses!
XOXO
- Katharine